Let Your Work Speak For Itself

How do you prepare your work when you are sending out books or manuscripts and such to potential clients? Do you print it on special paper? Do you package it snuggly in a box? Are your materials prepared in such a manner that maybe you are spending money on unnecessary supplies to try to make your work appear nicer? Do you wrap a huge rubber band around all the pages of a freshly printed manuscript, cram it in a large yellow envelope, throw a letter on top, and call it a day?

Are you taking a risk that spending money on this extra fluff may end up in the trashcan next to your manuscript? Absolutely you are. I say use the KISS method when preparing your books and manuscripts – keep it simple silly.

If you want to catch their eye, do it with the work itself. Make sure your introduction letter is spot-on perfect, even if it means spending a few extra dollars to have this edited and appropriately worded to catch the reader’s eye. Use words that are meant to draw the reader in – remember your writing skills. Also, remember that your manuscript needs to be spotless or book for that matter. Whatever you send needs to be able to do the work for you - not the fluff, colored fancy paper, pretty bows tied around the huge pile of paper, frills, bells, or whistles. Let your work speak for itself.

Catching the readers eye with the material intended to draw them in works two-fold. The information they are reviewing or reading will catch their attention through your artful skills in writing, plus you can save your money that you would have spent on all of the frilly stuff. If your work is enough to catch the readers eye right off the bat, then you will have the most lucrative career in writing and your work will speak for itself. 

What are some other ways that you can help encourage others sending their manuscript to a publisher?

~T